COWD: All went up in 15 years, except water rates

TheMonitorMindanaoToday.com | COWD: All went up in 15 years, except water rates

By: Uriel Quilinguing

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – For every cubic meter of water consumed, one pays P21.84 to the Cagayan de Oro City Water District (COWD), an amount the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) approved in 2011.

“The cost of power, fuel, and other commodities have gone up, except our water rates,” COWD General Manager Edna S. Najeal said to start off a “Meet the Press” forum at the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) boardroom.

Discussion was focused on COWD’s proposed 40-percent water rate adjustment—from the current P21.84/cm3 to P30.48/cm3. The increase was way below compared to the over 190-percent increase of electricity rate of the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company (Cepalco) to the current P12.80 per kilowatt hour from P4.39 kwh in 2011.

Najeal said they can hardly make both ends meet because the cost of the local water utilities day-to-day operations eat up about 98 percent of revenues, setting aside the LWUA-approved multi-year development plan implementation.

She said they could not pursue NRW (non-revenue water) reduction projects, replacement of pipes, new water source development, and construct location-specific water-treatment facilities, as planned.

All these, she pointed out, are intended to improve COWD services by providing stable and quality water-supply 24/7 in its entire service area, but can only be done with self-generated funds because water districts do not get subsidies from local and national governments.

Najeal said they will be presenting these during the public hearings on their proposed 40-percent rate adjustment scheduled on June 24 and 25 that will be held in four locations: Balulang, Carmen, Barangay 24, and Tablon.

The conduct of public hearings is a legal requirement before water district could file petitions for rate adjustment to LWUA, through a board resolution.

COWD has met with the local chief executive and appeared in the City Council to keep them informed, but LWUA has the final say, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 198 of 1973, as amended.

All water districts operate with full autonomy free from local governments where these are located, as clearly spelled out under Memorandum Circular No. 2019-03 of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“It is best that they are allowed to operate the least hindrance and interference from local officials but with a maximum support and assistance,” a portion of the MC No. 2019-3 reads.

The five members of water district board, however, are appointed by the local chief executives based on predetermined sectoral representations. – Uriel Quilinguing

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